Australian tourist dies after falling off stairs

GUWAHATI: A northeast India tour turned into a tragedy for a group of travellers from Australia when one of the travellers of the group died at a city hotel here on Saturday night. The deceased, identified as William Marinus (68), one of the five-member group, is suspected to have fallen off the stairs of the hotel in the city's Paltan Bazar area, resulting in his death. Suprotiv Lal Baruah, assistance commissioner of police (Panbazar) told TOI, "Preliminary probe indicated it to be an accident. Marinus, who was from Queensland in Australia, along with four others, was travelling across the northeastern states. They were scheduled to leave the city on Sunday. Investigation is on." On Saturday, the group checked into the hotel here after returning from a trip to Shillong and Cherrapunjee in Meghalaya. They were slated to fly to Kolkata on Sunday, from where they would continue their journey to Malaysia. Hotel officials told police that after returning from Meghalaya, the group was residing in the hotel for the last night of their travel to this part of the world. "They were probably drinking in their room since the evening. Marius might have slipped from the stairs of second floor when he was inebriated. Immediately emergency services were called for, but he did not survive the injury," sources informed. City police have also collected the CCTV footage from the hotel premises.

Police sources added that one of Marinus's family members was also travelling with the group. While two of the group reportedly left the city on Sunday, two others stayed back. "The body has been sent for post mortem and will be handed over to the family member," police added. Though not confirmed yet, the family members are likely to bury him here.